The Hogwarts Ripper
by Merlyn
Summary: [Completed] Includes the solution. Do enjoy, make sure you are not eating your tea though. Updated 19th May, 2002
1. Introduction

**The Hogwarts Ripper**

**Introduction**

**Date:** 1st July 3000

During Harry, Ron and Hermione's fourth year at Hogwarts un-imaginable and horrific things happened, that no one, even Professor Trelawny and her magic ball couldn't predict. These horrific events where recorded and locked away never for the world to see. For the first time in almost a century these records are opened again in a vain attempt to explain and perhaps solve the mystery of "The Hogwarts Ripper" the case remains unsolved. Perhaps you can solve it.


	2. The First Victim

-1THE FIRST VICTIM

Cho Chang walked swiftly back from the library. She was cold and tired for the hour was late. The dim light from the remaining lit candles cast long thin shadows across the damp floorboards. The shadows danced a strange dance as if to a tune they only knew.

These shadows turned Cho's impure heart; they turned her stomach and made her think of the souls of the dead reaching up from the fiery depths of hell trying to pull her in. She tired to shake of the eerie feeling she felt from these shadows. It was stupid feeling afraid of them.

The suites of ancient and rusty armour cast long shadows along the floor, as if they too wanted her. Their swords and lances frightened her more than even the thoughts of hell and souls of the dead. A deep feeling of foreboding and intense fear began to build up inside her. She broke into a run.

She heard quickening footsteps behind her, she quickened her pace. She wanted to outrun the person pursuing her. She could hear the deep shallow breathing of someone running behind her.

She turned the corner and found herself outside on the Quidditch Pitch, was she safe here? Perhaps not, she turned to run.

"Hello." She screamed.

"Cho!"

"Oh…sorry…you frightened me." She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Did I?" the person mused.

"Yeah…."

"Why where you running?" the person smiled.

"I was scared…."

"Of what?"

"The shadows." She laughed nervously. "Silly I know."

"Oh not at all…not at all." The figure smiled. "I can take away the fear." It raised a sharp knife that glistened threateningly in the moonlight. "I'll make it all right." It grabbed Cho with one strong arm. The knife pressed deeply into her throat. Her killer pulled it back with one swift, savage movement and slit her throat.

Cho tired to scream but she gagged on her own blood. Her life was slipping away before her, she tried to call out but couldn't. She was dead…she had been murdered.

xxxx

"Hey Cho." Harry Potter called out after the Ravenclaw vs. Slytherin match. Slytherin had beaten Ravenclaw, but it was obvious that Slytherin had cheated and they had played the worse Quidditch. Ravenclaw had slogged out the match. Trying their hardest. They were the snails against the cheetahs on their brooms. Slytherin sped ahead on their Firebolt 3's whilst Ravenclaw had lagged behind on a mixture of Nimbus', Nimbus 2000's and Firebolts.

"Hey Harry." She replied. She watched how Harry went red as he called her name.

"You deserved to win that match."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, you played the better Quidditch. Slytherin probably cheated anyway."

"Yeah." Cho agreed.

Hermione Granger watched the two from the stands. She felt jealousy building up inside her. Why did she feel jealous that Cho had won Harry's heart? No. She couldn't have won his heart; Harry deserved better than a Ravenclaw. STOP! She told herself bitterly. Why was she doing this? It wasn't like her.

"See ya Cho."

"See ya Harry." Cho waved at Harry as he ran to catch up with his friend Ron Weasley. Cho smiled. _Harry likes me_, she thought to herself. _I think that he and Hermione would do better _together_, or perhaps Ron would do better with Hermione? They show all the right symptoms of being in love. _She laughed aloud to herself. What was she doing? Matchmaking?

"Hello Cho." A spiteful voice said bringing her back from her joyful thoughts. She turned and saw bushy haired, bespectacled Hermione Granger near her.

"Hi Hermione." She replied joyfully.

"Don't get all friendly with me." She spat back.

"What?" Cho was surprised. She hadn't realised that Hermione could be that spiteful.

"I can see what you are doing! Leave Harry alone he deserves better!"

"And I suppose you're better?"

"Just leave it!" Hermione spat viciously back at Cho and stormed off.

"Who rattled your cage?" Cho called after her. Hermione had to agree why did she feel this way? She didn't love Harry did she? No, it wasn't possible she couldn't love Harry.

xxxx

"Hello Severus." Madam Pomfrey said as the young man stepped into her office.

"Good afternoon." He replied in his same cold tone that he used for addressing all people.

"Same to you. Now then Severus, how are you?" Snape didn't answer. "That bad?"

"I'm really finding it hard to cope."

"I'm not surprised. Do you want to talk about it?" Snape nodded. "Okay, so how have you felt in the last week?"

"Tried, weak, bad-tempered, groggy, like I've got a permanent hangover."

"All the usual symptoms. Why don't you take some time off?"

"NO!" He stood up as if the idea was a preposterous one.

"Severus, calm down." She commanded in her deep Scots accent. Snape obeyed.

"I'm sorry." He apologised meekly.

"It's okay Severus."

Cho looked through the small pane of glass. She could see Severus Snape and Madam Poppy Pomfrey engrossed in conversation. She knew she mustn't listen but she something in her made her.

"Have you told anyone on the staff yet?"

"No."

"Not about your illness."

"Oh…no I haven't told anyone. The only people who know are Minerva and Albus."

"Severus, look you'll feel a lot better if you tell them."

"I don't know how they will react though." Snape's face was twisted with bitterness.

"Severus, you'll have a lot of stick, but they will accept you."

"HIV is a bad thing, so is being gay."

"They'll understand. You don't have to tell them you're gay." She smiled warmly at him. "You'll be fine."

Cho learned closer but knocked against the glass. Snape eyes shot up and met hers at the door, she panicked and tried to run but Snape was quicker than he looked. He seized her roughly by the arm.

"What did you hear?" he spat at her.

"Nothing." She trembled.

"You did, out with it!" he shook her brutally.

"I didn't! I swear I didn't!" Cho began to cry in pain and fear.

"Severus!" Poppy called harshly. "Let go of her!" she ran over and pulled Snape's vice like grip off Cho's arm. "Are you all right child?"

"Yes…" she stuttered in reply.

"If you tell anyone what you heard and I swear that your life will not be worth living." Severus threatened. The threat touched Cho's heart and made if freeze, it was not the threat itself that froze it, but the icy manner in the way he said it.

"Severus! That is enough!" she bustled him back inside the office. "Be along with you." She said turning back to Cho. She turned and fled with fear.

Cho Chang laughed at Draco Malfoy was he walked miserably from the Quidditch field.

"Hey Draco!" she shouted.

"What is it mudblood?" he called back harshly.

"Beaten by Hufflepuff." She laughed.

"So?" he sneered.

"Be careful Draco the wind might change! Wait it might be an improvement!"

"You go Cho!" Harry called. Hermione looked at Harry with disgust and then looked at Cho with envy.

"Put it this way, Slytherin may as well put Neville Longbottom in your place and you might start winning!"

"You watch it!" Draco shouted.

"Why should I? You can't even catch a snitch so how can you do anything precise to me?"

"That's it!"

Draco jumped at Cho, but several Slytherins grabbed him as they saw Professor McGonagall walking swiftly towards them.

"Your dead mudblood!" he called back madly as his fellow Slytherins pulled him away towards the changing rooms. They too were angry at the defeat but didn't want to lose any points just for the sake of one seeker who attacked another. That was too childish even for the Slytherins.

Harry walked along the morning sunlight. He was in a joyous mood due to the forthcoming match against Ravenclaw. He knew that Gryffindor would probably win, but the chance to see her, Cho Chang again was like music in his heart.

He walked along humming a tune to himself. He wasn't watching where he was going. He fell over something, warm and sticky.

"Eww." he said looking at his hand. He gasped as he saw a shiny red subsistence. His stomach gave a huge jolt and carefully he looked back at what he tripped over. What he saw made him swoon.

Cho Chang's mutilated body lay on the Quidditch pitch; her throat had been savagely cut with a what seemed to have been a very sharp blade. The blood soaked the ground and Cho's black robes. Many of her internal organs lay open to the air, as her abdomen had been slashed open. Animals had been at the corpse as tiny rat bites were visible on the fingers and nose.

What shocked Harry more was the look of intense fear and pain on Cho's face, she must have known her attacker for her to let him or her get that close to enable it to slash her throat.

"HELP!" Harry called at the top of his voice. "MURDER! MURDER!" tears of pain, anger and shock rolled down his face as he called until his voice was horse. Soon Hagrid and several other teachers came running into view.

Harry pointed at Cho's body before collapsing into a dead faint.

"Oh god." Snape murmured in shock, he was the only one who spoke. The silence could have been cut with a knife, not even the birds sang it was a sign that pure evil had taken place.


	3. The Second Victim

-1THE SECOND VICTIM

Minerva McGonagall sat in her office. The dim candlelight cast long dancing shadows along the panelled walls. She sat, alone, marking first year test papers. They hadn't done _too_ badly.

The office was cold, and she pulled her cardigan tightly around her. How she hated the long cold winters at Hogwarts. A mouse ran along the bookcase and knocked a book off. The book sounded like a canon as it hit the floor, echoing around the silent walls.

Minerva jumped and knocked the candle over. It went out and she was plunged into darkness. She cursed as she felt around for her wand to re-light the dead candle. Before she could pick it up. She felt a prickling sensation on the back of her neck. Her cat senses felt something in the air. She shivered and hurriedly lit the candle.

A warm welcoming glow lit the room, and she decided to light the fire to ward away the cold. It crackled and blazed orange, red, and yellow. The feeling was warm and calm. Nothing possibly could happen that was in any way evil.

She learned back into her chair and began to gradually fall into a light sleep. Her dreams were tormented by the images of one month previously. Seeing Cho Chang's mutilated body lying on the Quidditch field, having to inform her parents. Dumbledore had told the school an animal had done it, but they all knew that no animal, of this earth, could have done that.

A soft knock brought her back from her terrifying thoughts. She shook the sleep of herself and called briskly.

"Come in." the door creaked open, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

"Hello." A soft voice said.

"Oh, hello, come in." the person walked in. "Sit down. What can I do for you?"

"Oh nothing. I couldn't sleep, I needed to talk to someone."

"Oh…about what?"

"Anything." The person's head snapped up and it grinned horribly at her.

"Wait…." Minerva was beginning to get scared.

"I know you are scared. Let me take away your fear." Its voice was a deadly calm. Like an ocean that held in it great wonders, yet great dangers.

"Er…no…I'm perfectly fine." Minerva stammered.

"Oh let me. You will feel better, you will feel like a new woman."

"Oh…if you think so." Minerva was tired and scared, and the suggestion the person was suggesting sounded plausible.

"Don't worry. Come to me." The figure stood up; somehow, Minerva felt compelled to walk to the figure, something about its voice. It put its hands, cold hands, on her shoulders and began to massage them.

"Oh, that's good." She said all her tension and fear started to melt away. She didn't see the figure move its hand and take a shining, glistening, bloodstained knife from its pocket.

The figure looked at the knife joyfully then plunged it into Minerva's throat. She tried to scream or cry out, but the blood caused her to gag and choke. She saw it smile as she fell to the floor, blood pounding her ears.

"No." she whispered as her life slipped from within her grasp. A second murder had been committed.

xxxx

"Malfoy!" Minerva McGonagall shouted.

"Yeah?" He replied cockily.

"Stop talking and get on with your work."

"Nah why should I?"

"Because, young man it's what you've been told to do." She replied in the same cold tone that he had used.

"But I don't want to do the work."

"10 points from Slytherin."

"Why?"

"For answering back! Now get on with your work before I take any more of you!"

"You wouldn't dare." Malfoy dared.

"Wouldn't I? 50 points from Slytherin." Minerva was beginning to get frustrated. Draco was only doing this to show off.

"Scaredy cat." He murmured.

"That's it! 100 points from Slytherin and you, young man will have a detention! I shall speak to Professor Snape about you."

"So?"

"160 points!" someone gasped. "Yes abd it will be more if you don't get on with your work!"

_She thinks she can outwit me does she?_ Draco thought madly to himself. _Well I'll show her._

xxxx

"Professor." Severus Snape began as they sat in the Staff Room.

"Yes, Severus?" she enquired looking up.

"I'm curious. Why did you take 160 points from Slytherin this morning?"

"That little Malfoy was giving me cheek." She replied.

"Er…yes but don't you think 160 is a bit much?"

"SEVERUS! It's my lesson you don't know what went on!" she shouted. Some of the staff shook their heads. They were fighting again.

"Yes." He replied through clenched teeth. "I still say that 160 is way to much to take off."

"It's just right for the little creep." Snape's eyes shot an angry colour of red.

"The Malfoy's are not creeps."

"You're just to afraid to even say what you think, coward."

"Look, there is no need for that!"

"Severus, stop being such a child!" Minerva snapped. "I took points of Slytherin, you don't need to kick up a fuss! Now I want you to take the detention."

"Why me?" but Minerva gave him such a terrifying look he thought it best to give in. "Okay, okay!" he held up his hands as a sign of defeat.

_Bitch _he thought angrily _she will have to pay for this, no one insults the Malfoy's and gets away with it. _Nevertheless, he couldn't help thinking that perhaps she was right he was being childish or perhaps a coward.

xxxx

"Miss Granger!" McGonagall shouted. The whole class drooped what they were doing and turned to look in Hermione's direction. It was the first time that they had heard Hermione get shouted at.

"Yes miss?" Hermione asked.

"You do not, I repeat do not get that potion anywhere near to the animal!" McGonagall was shocked, Hermione? Getting something wrong? Oh dear Lord.

"I'm sorry miss." Hermione could feel tears building up inside her.

"Stupid girl! 20 points from Gryffindor for not listening." Hermione's blood boiled and she tried to fight back tears.

_How dare she take points off me! _She thought bitterly to herself. The whole class had gone silent and was now staring at her.

xxxx

Draco Malfoy sat in the dungeons. He was on detention with professor Snape, but he hadn't shown up yet.

xxxx

Severus Snape hummed the tune to "Forever Autumn" as he walked along to the bathroom. He was about to open the old wooden door when Professor McGonagall put a hand on his shoulder. He jumped and turned around.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him cruelly.

"Going to the loo." He replied as he was explaining that one and one made two.

"I can see that, why aren't you in the dungeons with Draco Malfoy?"

"Because I need to go for a wee."

"No you don't." She took him by the ear. "You are going to go and sit and watch Draco Malfoy for forty five minutes."

"Wait! Ow! I need the loo!"

"Get down to those dungeons!" Snape gave in, there was no point trying to argue. _She will pay! _he said bitterly to himself.

"Minerva." The soft voice of Albus Dumbledore called her name.

"Yes Albus?" she replied rather stiffly.

"That was rather mean. All the poor lad needed was to empty his bladder."

"He's been acting childish all day." She replied.

"Yes, well I think you are both being childish." Minerva was starting to feel like a child who was being told off. Dumbledore shook his head. "Dear me. I don't know what's worse! You and Severus or the kids!"

xxxx

"Sorry Draco." Snape murmured as he swept into the dungeons.

"It's okay sir." Draco replied with a sickly smile.

"Good. Er… can I leave you alone for a few minutes?"

"Sure. Why?"

"None of your business. I'll only be a few minutes." Snape left the dungeons leaving Draco behind. Was that a good idea? He wondered.

xxxx

Snape relieved himself in the bathroom near the dungeons. He felt guilty at having betrayed McGonagall, and for leaving Draco unattended. _Perhaps I ought to apologise to her _he thought as he washed his hands. _No…I'll leave it until later._

xxxx

The detention went fine for Draco, although he did note that Snape seemed more relaxed that usual.

xxxx

Snape looked up and met the eyes of Draco; his cold black ones against Draco's equally cold grey ones. There was something of triumph in Draco's eyes, but why would that be there?

xxxx

It was now ten minutes past nine; Snape had got rid of Draco five minutes before he needed to actually go he hoped Minerva didn't find out.

xxxx

He was on his way to speak to her, to say he was sorry. There was something about the air, he could feel…something in it. He tried to shake of the feeling and continued on his way to McGonagall's office.

He knocked. No answer. He knocked again. Still no answer. He began to worry.

"Professor?" he called. No reply. He made up his mind to enter, with a bit of luck she would be out of her office and somewhere else. Slowly, ever so slowly he pushed open the door.

"Professor, I wanted to…" he stopped and looked around at the blood splattered along the walls.

"Oh god." He whispered to himself. He moved his reluctant eyes down to the floor, not wanting to see what lay before him.

Minerva McGonagall lay on the blood stained floor, her throat savagely cut, blood still oozing out onto the floor. Her body had been mutilated and several of her organs from her abdomen had been removed and thrown about the room.

Snape tried to suppress his overwhelming urge to vomit.

"HELP!" he shouted. "HELP!" Professor Sinsitra, who was walking near by heard his calls and ran to him.

"Severus…" Sinsitra looked in the office. "Christ." She conjured up a giant alarm that rang through the school to signal that another terrible event had taken place.

Severus could take no more; he clasped his hand to his mouth and ran. He knew what he had felt now. Death.


	4. The Third Victim

-1THE THIRD VICTIM

Pansy Parkinson peered carefully around the door of the library. It was well passed midnight and the candles had been extinguished. She had every right to be hiding, why if anyone saw here she would be in most trouble!

She carefully tucked the book under her clock and began to walk as silently as she could back to the Slytherin Common Room. The floorboards creaked under her bulk, each time she did, she held her breath, and she wouldn't know what to do if she was discovered with the book she now carried under her arm.

As she walked past the many suites of armour, her candle lit their eyes and lances up. Twice she was sure that one of them had evil red eyes staring at her. She jumped and almost drooped her precious load.

"Trick of the light." She assured herself. Slowly she began to walk again. Praying she didn't bump into Peeves or anyone else out for a night time wander. It was over a month since the last attack, everyone was missing Professor McGonagall dearly, even those who had hated her.

Professor Snape seemed to have taken her death worst. No student had ever seen him look the way he did. His eyes seemed permanently red, as though he had not been able to stop himself from crying. Each of the students now began to feel sorry for him, rather than taunt and tease him.

She turned the corner and immediately ran into some one.

"Ow!" the voice said.

"Sorry." She mumbled. Her candlelight lit the face of who she had just almost run over. "Oh."

"Are you okay?" the voice asked this time concern filled it.

"Yes…fine thanks." She stammered slightly and fumbled with the book behind her back.

"Oh." The voice now sounded suspicious. The eyes surveyed her. "What are you afraid of?"

"What? Oh nothing."

"Then why are you hurrying?" the voice had turned into deadly calm.

"I wasn't!"

"Oh you were."

"I was tired and wanted to get back to bed." She made up.

"Why were you out of bed to start with?"

"Because…because…" she thought quickly. "Because I needed to go to the bathroom." She finally blurted out.

"Oh…tell me what you are frightened off." The figure she noticed fiddled with something behind its back. "Tell me. I can make the fear go away, trust me."

"NO!" Pansy shirked and began to run but the figured through out a heavily blood stained knife.

It was too late to stop herself, she ran onto the knife and became impaled on the sharp blade. Blood poured out of her wound as if a tap had just been turned onto full. Her blood covered the knife and the killer's hand.

The killer gave a short laugh and pulled the knife out of her gullet.

xxxxx

"Hey babe." Draco Malfoy said hanging round Pansy's neck. He kissed her gently and sat down at the breakfast table.

"Hi Draco." She replied. She picked at her food.

"What is it?" Draco asked her, no doubt sensing something was wrong.

"Nothing…I mean…Draco we've got to talk."

"Sure thing babes." Draco began on his bacon, no doubt, thinking that Pansy would tell him here where the entire hall could hear if they wanted to.

"No not here." She said. "Later, met me outside the Great Hall at about 9 o'clock tonight, we won't be disturbed then.

"Sure thing. Nine tonight here." He kissed her again as she rose. "See ya then."

"Bye Draco." She kissed him back. Half-expecting Professor McGonagall to swoop down on them and give a detention. The place had been to quiet without her. She missed the strict Scots women and…yes looking at Snape so did he.

xxxx

Snape cleared his thought.

"Today we will be making the Draught of Living Death." He began. "It is a very dangerous potion to make and requires your undivided attention."

Pansy gazed down at her notes, she had to tell Draco, but how could she? She continued to think and lost track of the lesson.

"Ms Parkinson!" Snape shouted almost in her ear. She jerked awake.

"Er…sorry sir." She said hastily.

"I should think so!" he said softly as he walked back to the board.

"Why didn't he take points of Slytherin?" Harry whispered to Ron.

"Potter! Weasley! No talking in my lesson, 10 points from Gry…" he stopped abruptly and swallowed hard. "No…no points shall be taken."

Harry saw Hermione shake her head sadly. He knew what she was thinking. Ever since McGonagall had been murdered, Snape hadn't been his usual self. Afraid of saying the name 'Gryffindor' perhaps his memory of its head to strong for him to cope with. Snape finished what he was writing on the board and turned to face his class. His black eyes not as bright or malicious as they once were.

"I want you to follow the ingredients exactly on the board." He tried to sneer at them. "I am going to put you into pairs. Ms Granger with Ms Parkinson, Mr Potter with Mr Longbottom, Mr Weasley with Mr Malfoy…" and so on until the entire class had been partnered up with someone of the opposite house. "Begin."

The lesson when smoothly until:

"Pansy!" they heard Hermione shriek.

"What mudblood?" Pansy replied aware that every eye in the room was turned upon them.

"You've ruined the potion!"

"Have I?"

"You added to much powdered hemlock!"

"Shut up you swotty mudblood!" Hermione lost it. She leapt at Pansy.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Snape shouted coming out of the storeroom. He grabbed Hermione by the collar and pulled her back. Her face purple with rage. "GET BACK TO YOUR COMMON ROOM AND DON'T COME BACK UNTIL YOU HAVE CALMED DOWN!" Snape's voice was hoarse with shouting now but Harry suspected it was because of a different reason his voice was hoarse. "YOU TOO MS PARKINSON!"

As Hermione and Pansy left the dungeons, Harry saw Hermione give Pansy a look of pure evil. A look that made even Harry, who had seen Lord Voldemort's evil look over the years was afraid off.

xxxx

At the end of the lesson, the class fled the dungeons. Hermione hadn't been back all lesson and neither had Pansy. Harry watched sadly as Snape sunk into his chair and put his head into his hands. Harry was then gripped with a thought he had never thought before. What if Snape's anger was caused by the fact he couldn't cope with them?

"Be on your way Potter." Snape's voice was racked with emotion.

"Are you ok sir?" Harry asked.

"I SAID BE ON YOUR WAY!" Snape snapped loudly. His eyes slightly red. Harry felt it better to obey.

xxxx

Pansy walked swiftly back to the dungeons to get her back. She had forgotten to take it with her when she had been sent of potions. How stupid of her!

She stopped suddenly outside the Potions door. She heard someone crying and the soft voice of Albus Dumbledore comforting whoever was crying.

"Calm down." Dumbledore was saying.

"I…I…I…c…a." the other person with him, by the sound of the voice it was another man.

"Please Severus." Snape! That was who was crying!

"I'm sorry sir." Snape managed to say. "I really am."

"It's not your fault…."

"It is!"

"Severus, you run the risk of depression ever year. This year has been a bit too stressful for us all…"

"I don't want to…."

"I'm not saying you should…maybe you ought to take a few days off teaching."

"I can cope, headmaster." Snape seemed to have stopped crying now, but his voice was shaky and stiff.

"I don't think you can." Dumbledore's voice was calm but firm.

"I can…."

"NO!" Dumbledore almost shouted. "You'll run the risk of being put in a hospital."

"Very well sir." Snape got up. "I shall take a few days off."

"Good." Snape pulled open the door and to Pansy's horror, she was still stood there. "YOU!" Snape gasped. "How much did you hear?" he grabbed Pansy roughly by the front of her robes and shock her violently.

"I didn't…."

"LIAR!" Snape shook her more still.

"SEVERUS!" Dumbledore grabbed Snape's left arm; his strongest as he brought it up to hit Pansy. "LET THE GIRL GO!" Snape let go of Pansy and she fell to the floor and immediately scampered. "GET TO MY OFFICE NOW!" Pansy heard Dumbledore's last words as she ran back to the dormitory, she had never, never heard Dumbledore shout that much before.

xxxx

It was 9 o'clock and Pansy ran down to the great hall to meet Draco.

"There you are!" He called happily when he saw her running towards to him.

"Hi, sorry I'm late." They kissed. "Draco…."

"Yeah?"

"It's over." Pansy turned and walked away.

"What?" Draco gasped.

"You heard me. It's over."

Draco stood there listening. He watched as Pansy walked down the dungeon steps.

xxxx

It was 20 minutes later; he Draco Malfoy had just been dumped by his girl friend. He hadn't wanted to show his face in the Common Room so he had walked around the castle thinking.

He reached the library. He heard a scream and ran forwarded. He saw Pansy Parkinson fall to the floor blood spewing everywhere. He saw a dark figure running swiftly away, but too quickly for him to see whether it was male or female.

He ran to Pansy, getting covered in blood as the blood flooded out of her neck.

"HELP." He shouted. "HELP!" tears rolled down his face.

Soon Severus Snape and Argus Filch came skidding to a halt. Seeing the amount of blood on the floor Snape snapped. He suddenly became dazed and fell to the floor in a dead faint.

That was the only sound that was heard as one by one people came and saw the blood and the body.


	5. The Fourth Victim

-1THE FOURTH VICTIM

Lavender Brown heard the screams and shouts coming from near the library. It was clear what had happened, another murder. She dropped her thinks and began to run towards to confusion.

Near to her, there was a dark, very dark and cold passageway. This was a short cut to the library, and it was extremely lucky that it was hidden behind a great tapestry.

Otherwise, she would never reach the library.

She hurried along the silent passageway; cobwebs grabbed at her hair. Luckily, Lavender was not afraid of spiders because as she brushed past a particularly big web a large black, poisonous looking spider dropped down on her head, causing her to jump. She tired to scream as she brushed of the dangerous looking spider but nothing came out of her mouth.

"It's just a spider." She said to herself. However, was it just a spider? Wasn't there a dark figure behind her? Or perhaps her imagination was getting the better of her.

She walked on faster still, something was behind her, and it wasn't the spider. She turned quickly and looked straight into the eyes of…

"Hello Lavender." The voice said spitefully.

"Hello." She replied meekly.

"Going somewhere?"

"Er…not really."

"You were! You were about to see my failure."

"I wasn't! I swear I…" but her last words were drowned out. The killer put its hand firmly around her mouth.

"You were and you dare to mock me! The Ripper?" the voice became terrifyingly insane and erratic. "Well we shall see about that…" it raised a knife, dripping still with Pansy's blood. "You shall ease my pain…" the killer grinned nastily. "Say goodbye, Ms Brown!" with one forceful movement the knife stabbed into her chest.

Blood spilled out of the open wound and the Ripper became with enormous strength to pull the knife down her chest, spilling more and more blood as it went down and down. Lavender watched as her blood poured out her. She fell to the floor with a thump, blood still spilling out of her soaking into the old wood.

The killer laughed a nasty cold laugh, before it set about slashing at Lavender's face removing her internal organs. It could hardly believe that only forty five minutes earlier it had almost been caught.

xxxx

Lavender stood behind an old suite of armour, listening intently to Pansy Parkinson and Draco Malfoy. She had heard that Pansy was going to meet Draco tonight at nine but why? She had to find out and report to her fellow friends.

Carefully she situated herself were she could see what was going on before her. If it was something worth gossiping about, she had to know! Professor Trewlany had said something about a dark situation that started of non-intentionally. Perhaps she had been talking about this dark event. How Lavender wished she could crystal gaze, the Professor Trewlany did. How people could laugh at her predications was beyond all reasoning.

The old Church Clock struck…once…twice…three times…until BONG! It was nine o'clock. Draco was stood near to her hiding place pacing the floor looking nervous. Sharp footsteps made him look up to were Lavender saw Pansy Parkinson running towards them as fast as she could.

"There you are!" Draco called happily seeing Pansy, like a giant hippopotamus running towards him.

"Hi, sorry I'm a bit late." Lavender felt slightly sick as she watched them embrace in an over passionate kiss. "Draco…" Pansy began. Lavender pricked up her ears to listen more closely to what was being said.

"Yeah?" he replied still vacant after that one wondrous kiss.

"It's over." Pansy turned and even Lavender, who felt no sympathy for Draco, now felt gravely sorry for him. It was obvious at that moment that poor Draco's heart had spilt into two. Pansy started to walk away. Draco seemed to have lost his voice.

"What?" She heard Draco gasp.

"You heard me. It's over." Pansy replied still not looking round to face Draco. Pansy walked down the cold stone steps to the dungeons leaving Draco stood there all on his own looking blank.

Lavender was half expecting Draco to break down in floods of tears but instead he spun angrily round and started at her hiding place.

"So you think that is funny do you Brown!" he spat at her. Lavender was shocked how did Draco know she was there! "Well mark my words you won't be laughing once I am through." Draco stormed off.

Lavender gulped. What did Draco mean by "well mark my words you won't be laughing once I am through."? What was Draco going to do to her? Then it struck her she had to tell someone…

xxxx

"Hey mudblood! Lavender come here!" Pansy called loudly. Hermione and Lavender walked over to her.

"Yes?" Hermione spat.

"Listen." Pansy began in a much less harsh voice. "I need to tell you both something in private."

"Okay." Hermione whispered back.

"Sure." Lavender replied.

"Good, met me in the library after Potions. GET LOST FILTH!" Pansy shouted pushing Hermione and Lavender away. They took the hint at what she meant and called insults back.

"Well at least I can read!" Hermione shot back.

xxxx

Potions went well. No one was given a detention, however Snape was more preoccupied that usual. There was something on his mind, which was apparent to everyone.

"What do you reckons up with Snape?" Ron asked Harry as he prepared his horntailed slugs.

"Dunno. Maybe he and McGonagall had something going or perhaps he's scared. Maybe he thought the Slytherins would be safe from the Ripper person."

"Yeah." Ron agreed.

The bell went and they flooded out of the dungeons like a heard of wasps. Lavender and Hermione both headed for the library.

xxxx

"Pansy?" Hermione looked around the library.

"I don't believe it! She's set us up!" Lavender exclaimed in disgust.

"No I haven't." Pansy's voice said from one dark corner. "Come here." They went to her.

"So." Hermione said sitting down. "What do you want to tell us?"

"I think I've found out who the Ripper is." Lavender and Hermione started at her. Hermione looked shocked.

"Yyyou hahhve?" she stammered.

"Yeah, yesterday Snape caught me listening in on his conversation with Dumbledore. He went mad! Nearly killed me on the spot and even threatened me in front of Dumbledore!"

"Oh…why did you tell us?" she said more clearly this time.

"Do you think the Slytherins would have believed me?"

"Okay, so Snape is the Ripper what do we do?" Lavender asked.

"Go to Dumbledore of course!"

"I'll do that." Lavender said. "I need to speak to Dumbledore about something anyway."

"Thanks you two." Pansy said with a grateful tone in her voice. "But remember we are not friends!"

"Got you." Lavender said.

"I've got to go. See you Lavender, Hermione." Pansy left the library.

"I've got to go as well, Lavender. I'll speak to you later." Hermione followed Pansy out of the library.

"So." A cold voice said from nearby.

"Uh oh." Lavender muttered.

"You think that you can persuade Dumbledore to send my to Azakaban? You have no proof on your claim girl!"

"I do." Lavender lied.

"Oh have you. Well all I can say is watch your step if you continue to go round telling lies like that…" Snape skulked away.

xxxx

"Hey look it's the swot!" Paravati called seeing Hermione walk past.

"Yeah, bushy haired bad teethed Granger!" Lavender added. "Got muggles for parents!"

"So have you!" Hermione snapped back at Lavender.

"Yeah, well at least mine haven't got crappy jobs."

"You watch it Lavender!" Hermione screeched. "You just watch it."

"Or what? You're going to get some dental floss to attack me are you?" Hermione's eyes filled with tears, but not of sadness but of rage. She stormed off accompanied by roars of laughter filling her ears.

"I'll show her." Hermione muttered savagely.

xxxx

A crowd was beginning to form near Pansy Parkinson's freshly slashed body. Everyone was in shock. The Ripper was nearly caught.

Snape had fainted upon seeing the blood spilling out across the floor and was now lying in the hospital wing. Draco was still crying over Pansy's body. His racked sobs were all that could be heard.

Hermione decided to get away from the place. The stench of death was too great. She slipped down the cold secret passageway that led from the library down to the great hall.

Half way down it, she slipped on something.

"OW!" She exclaimed as she hit the floor with a heavy THUD. "Lumos." She muttered pulling out her wand. She looked at what she had slipped on and nearly vomited.

She had slipped on a human heart. She hardly dared look ahead at the mutilated body of someone lay. The face was unrecognisable. Deep slashes had been cut into it and blood was still billowing out onto the floor.

She saw the wrist, stretched out towards Hermione. On it was a band with the name "Lavender" half covered in deep scarlet.

Lavender's abdomen had been cut open and her organs lay exposed to the air. What little was left of Lavender's face showed that she had been in pure terror when she had been killed.

"Oh god." Hermione whispered to herself. "Oh god." Four murders now, the murder was still unknown.

"MURDER!" she screamed at the top of her voice. "SOMEONE COME! THERE HAS BEEN ANOTHER MURDER!" This time Professor Dumbledore was first on the scene, panting. Several other staff members accompanied him.

"Not another one." He said in shock. "Please God make them stop." Then Dumbledore sank to his knees and cried bitterly. He cried cursing god for bringing the terrors upon the innocent students. It was obvious that the pure forces of darkness had been at work that day. Death had showed his ugly face once more, and no one was sure when it would stop.


	6. The Fifth Victim

-1THE FIFTH VICTIM

Hermione Granger sat in the library reading hundreds and hundreds of books on the Dark Arts. She was trying to solve the murders, but so far, she had found nothing to aid her investigation.

As the candles began to dim, she found herself slipping off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Troubled only by those moments when she saw Lavender Brown's body. It had been over two months since the last Ripper killing and hopefully it had been the last.

However, Hermione could not get what Pansy Parkinson had said out of her mind. She said that she thought Snape might be the Ripper but what excuse would he to murder those girls?

Moreover, what did he have on Professor McGonagall?

Hermione must have been asleep for over three hours! The clock had just struck one when she woke with a start. Someone was in the room with her…and it was watching her.

"Hello Hermione." The voice was cold and nasty.

"Who's there?" Hermione called in a dead panic. "Show your self!" A tall dark figure stepped out of the shadows. "You!" she gasped.

"Of course. You are getting to close to finding the truth my dear."

"I am?"

"Oh yes. You are on the right lines."

"Well if I just shout for help now, you will be arrested." Hermione said that far more bravely than she felt.

"Oh will I?" the figure smiled and raised a very sharp heavily blood stained knife. "You know who I killed with this knife don't you?"

"Yes." Hermione bit her lip. "Cho, McGonagall, Pansy and Lavender."

"You've missed one." The Ripper said picking the dirt out from under its fingernails.

"Have I?" Hermione strained to think. "There have only been four murders!"

"Ah, no five. You're the fifth." The Ripper smiled and raised the knife. "Oh how I am going to enjoy this!" Hermione tried to run, but the Ripper had strong arms. It held her back; she struggled and hit out. She rammed her elbow back. The Ripper cried in pain and snarled at her, tears showing in the corners of its eyes. The Ripper she realised was male.

"You are going to make this so fun you know." He through the knife at her. Hermione wasn't quick enough and the knife shot into her back. Straight through her heart. There was no time to cry out as she fell to the floor and within seconds, she was dead.

"Ah, Hermione." The Ripper said, pulling the knife out of the her back. "You were such a nosy bitch." He rolled her onto her front and set about mutilating her body cutting off bits of her.

He tore open her chest and took out her heart. Greedily he licked his lips and began to eat it raw. Blood poured down his chin and onto his robes. He liked the blood the blood gave him power. It tasted sweet in his mouth and hungrily he devoured the heart.

xxxx

"Hey Hermione." Ron called over to her.

"Yeah?" She replied without removing her eyes from the book.

"Have you found out yet?" he whispered.

"Yes."

"Who?" Hermione looked round the great hall. It was full of students eating their breakfasts.

"Look I can't tell you here. Meet me in the library at half past one tonight."

"Half one as in 1:30am?" Harry whispered

"Yeah, we won't be disturbed then."

"Hey look." Ron nudged her and pointed. Standing near by was Draco Malfoy straining to hear what was being said. "Hey Draco!" Ron called over. Malfoy quickly walked away. "Slimy git. Bet it was him."

"Ron!" Hermione sounded shocked. "No it's not!"

"Oh…" Ron looked annoyed. "It should have been."

xxxx

Hermione walked down the corridor alone, on her away to Arithmacy.

"Hey mudblood." Malfoy's cold drawl came from behind her.

"What is it?" she replied irritably.

"You better not tell Potty and Weasly what you've found out otherwise you are dead. Got that?"

"Yes. But Malfoy, what can _you _do to me?"

"A lot more than you would imagine possible." Draco turned and stalked off. Hermione began to walk back down to Arithmacy when she ran into Snape.

"Why hello Ms Granger." He said with a sickly false smile. "I believe you are going to tell Potter and Weasley something…."

"Yes I am."

"Well I don't think you will."

"I am going to!" Hermione shouted. "You can't stop me!"

"Oh I think you will find I can. Be on your guard Ms Granger I am a lot more dangerous than I look." Snape had a strange malicious glint in his eye that caused Hermione to gulp. "Get to your class and don't think of telling anyone otherwise you might find something on that pretty neck of yours." He strode off leaving Hermione standing alone in the deserted corridor. She was shaking slightly.

xxxx

"Ms Granger?" Albus Dumbledore asked popping his head around the Arithmacy door. "I'm sorry Professor Vector I just need Hermione for a moment."

"Very well." The witch said sharply. "Ms Granger." Hermione got out of her seat and walked out to join the headmaster. She closed the door with a soft click.

"Sir?" She asked turning to Dumbledore. Instantly he changed, he no longer looked his quite solemn self but more evil than Hermione had ever seen him before.

"Ms Granger, I know you know something." He started. "I want to put a stop to the nonsense you are dreaming up!"

"I am not dreaming up any nonsense!"

"You know perfectly well what I am talking about and let this be a warning to you. Do not meddle in things you do not understand." Dumbledore turned and walked sharply away.

Hermione stared after him…had that really been Dumbledore or was she still dreaming? Perhaps this was some nightmare she was having, in a moment she would wake up and everything would be back to normal.

"Ms Granger!" Professor Vector shouted opening the door. "Are you going to join us?"

"Yes miss." Hermione's heart fell. No this was not some nightmare but reality.

xxxx

"Are you sure Hermione said we were to met her here?" Ron asked Harry as they neared the library.

"Positive Ron!" Harry muttered back from under the invisibility cloak. "What's that smell?" Ron sniffed the air.

"Euh! Smells like something rotting!"

"Okay, shall we go and met her?"

"Yeah." Slowly they made their way into the library. The smell was stronger in here and they had to pull their robes over their mouths to stop them from vomiting.

"God! What the hell do you…" Harry stopped dead. The walls to the library were splattered with fresh blood. It was dripping down of some of the bookshelves. It covered the floor and table.

There was a mass of flesh and gut speared across the table. Many of the organs there had huge bits in them as if someone had tried to eat them but been too full to go all the way.

"Oh god…" Harry whispered looking down to the barley recognisable body of Hermione Granger. She was only recognisable by her glasses that lay smashed on the floor. "Ron?" Harry whispered.

Ron was staring at something writing in the blood on the wall of the library. The initials AD.

"Harry you don't think do you…."

"No, they have got to be pinning the blame on someone else."

"HELP!" Harry shouted. "HELP!" soon Madam Pince walked sleepily into the library.

"What's all this noise…" she saw the blood and the body and fainted immediately.

xxxx

Soon the whole school had heard about the tragic and horrific murder of Hermione Granger. No one could eat anything that night. They were all too afraid and upset. Evil had struck Hogwarts, a serious evil that no one could explain. Albus Dumbledore stood up and looked grave.

"Due to the recent and horrific events here I have decided the best course of action will be this…oblivate!"

_3 years later_

"Hey Ron." Harry called looking at a photograph.

"Yeah?"

"Who's that girl standing with us?"

"Dunno. Must have been someone who visited the school a long time ago. Can't remember her though can you?"

"Nah."


	7. The Solution

-1THE SOLUTION

Draco Malfoy stood in the dungeons. His task was dangerous but he knew what he was doing, his father had shown him everything. He was ready.

"Goyle, pass me the dragons blood." Malfoy held out his hand for the bottle.

"Dragons blood?" Goyle answered

"Yes, the dragons b…oh never mind. Crabbe," Crabbe passed him the correct bottle and Malfoy added it.

"Draco," Goyle said, sounding concerned. "What's this spell supposed to do?"

"Create a time portal so we can go back and stop the raid on our manner house."

"But why?"

"Because," Malfoy sounded dangerous. "My father is looked in Azkaban and if the school find out I'll be a laughing stock. Now are you going to help me?" Crabbe and Goyle nodded.

They worked well after midnight, added ingredients until…

"It's ready." Malfoy stood back. "Oh great mistress of time!" the room went black, a mysterious light glowing from the cauldron lit up Malfoy's face, he didn't looked scared, he looked…evil.

"Open a portal for me! Open it back to…" he thought for a moment. "Back to 1882."

"What!" Crabbe and Goyle gasped. Malfoy turned to them.

"Jack the Ripper. He can come and finish Potter and his little friends off."

"But…but…what about your dad?"

"I can help him later."

"Open a portal!" There was a sudden great burst of dazzling light and a great portal open in front of them. A women stepped through.

"Wha…"

"I come, master." The woman said.

"Are you…Jack the Ripper?"

"Yes." She smiled. "My husband is James Maybeck, he was always associating himself with those…those bitches. I killed his regulars." She didn't look real, more like a entity.

"Are you real?"

"No. I am a mere reflection." She smelled the air. "Ah yes I must take a physical body in order to kill." Malfoy thought for a moment.

"Albus Dumbledore." He said with an evil cracked smile.

"So I shall." She disappeared.

xxxx

"Wish me luck as you wave me good bye! Cheerio, here I go on my way. Wish my luck as you wave me good bye! With a cheer, not a tear make it gay. Give me a smile I can keep all the while, in my heart whilst I'm away. 'Till we meet once again you and I…" something shot into his body, something painful, something alive. Albus Dumbledore staggered and fell against the wall, gasping for breath as what ever it was took over his body.

A voice inside his head told him

"You are no longer in command Dumbledore. You are mine to do as I wish."

"No!" Dumbledore tried to fight back.

An evil laughter filled his head.

"No use fighting it, it is too late!"

_The solution. A few people commented on Albus Dumbledore being OOC, which was in fact made to be. Before any stupid person says that I changed it, I didn't. This has always been and always will be the solution. Oh, I am just using Florence Maybeck as we always assume that Jack the Ripper was a man. Ever thought that it could have been a woman? How many men would murder a prostitute without doing anything first (i.e. the original purpose of the…er…visit)? Also at the scene of the last murder there were the initials "FM" on the wall, and James Maybeck was murdered by his wife (Florence Maybeck) so…er…well just how my mind works._

_My personal opinion is that it was possibly Walter Sickert as I like the theory and some of the evidence fits. I believe that the diary was NOT written by James Maybeck, but by his brother who was a failed playwright. _

_Dedicated to those forgotten women of Whitechapel who suffered in the hands of a mad man/women and whose murders we take advantage of to create wonderful stories and films. May their memories live on in our hearts and the hearts of their families and murder. _

_Enjoyed it? _

_Merlyn _

_14th August 2000_


End file.
